Recent editorials from North Carolina newspapers:
May 6
Winston-Salem Journal on state gambling policy:
It's time for North Carolina leaders to consider legalized gambling.
When the N.C. Court of Appeals recently sided with the sweepstakes industry and ruled that the state cannot outlaw such an obvious form of gambling, gaming parlors popped up across the state. Unless a state lawyer can finally close all possible loopholes in the state's anti-gaming laws, it's pretty obvious that the gambling industry has won.
Although it pains the Journal editorial board to say this, it is time for state leaders to devise a sensible and realistic state gambling policy, one that will allow some forms of gambling but regulate it closely.
After all, we already have "the education lottery." But more money for public education is needed. Any money the state reaps from legalized gambling should go to education.
And if the state takes up legalized gambling, it should choke out organized crime. The law would have to reserve ownership or operation of, or employment in, any gambling endeavor to people with perfectly clean criminal records.
The state must also assure that gambling is kept away from schools and other places children frequent. Advertising should be strictly controlled so as to keep gambling pitches from reaching youngsters.
If the state were to allow gambling, then it must also provide anti-gambling-addiction programs.
The money for such a program should come from revenue raised by a healthy tax on every legal gambling operation. And state law should provide that the counties also have a right to tax these operations rigorously. Counties will need extra funds to police the gambling.
Finally, the state should require that these operations hire additional workers assigned solely to the gambling. A cashier in a convenience store is not adequate. And the state should support proposals by American Indian tribes to operate casinos with live dealers on their reservations.
It may be that the state cannot ban gambling, that there will be too many ways around any law the Legislature writes. But some good could come of legalized gambling if the state and counties raise significant funds for public education through a tough law that taxes gambling heavily.
Online:
http://www2.journalnow.com
___
May 5
The News & Observer of Raleigh on the John Edward's trial:
For a moment, it was just about a family in tragic distress. The bright lights of political conventions, the magazine covers, the books, the movie stars ... it was all so far away, leaving only emptiness.
And to those in the Triangle who remembered a shaggy-haired, baby-faced trial lawyer who used to hold juries in his hand and play with his kids in Pullen Park and take the family for a night out at 518 West restaurant, the story was at that moment at rock bottom. A witness in the now-infamous case of John Edwards and the money and the mistress was about to describe an encounter with the former senator's late wife, Elizabeth, in an airport parking lot.
"I see zero indication of any impropriety," he said
The story was of a woman, dying of cancer, just about destroyed by her husband's affair, tearing her clothes and yelling at him and collapsing.
Before that story began, John Edwards — no longer so boyish and certainly no longer admired as he was during two presidential campaigns, one of them in which he wound up as the Democratic nominee for vice president — turned to his 30-year-old daughter, Cate, and asked her if she wanted to leave the courtroom. She did, in tears, as her father said, "Cate ... Cate ... "
No matter whether one is disgusted or defensive about the trial of John Edwards and his use of money provided by wealthy donors to conceal his mistress from his wife, Elizabeth, and from the public, this was a moment of anguish.
Edwards' own attorney says he committed sins but no crimes. But left behind are the family members, close friends, the aides who believed in a man and sacrificed to try to make him president. ...
... The trial thus far has been likened to a soap opera, and that's not far off. Another couple of weeks are expected.
It is high drama, gripping in a way. But there are children and elderly parents and a mother lost to cancer. The canvas on which the story unfolds is dark indeed.
Online:
http://www.newsobserver.com
___
May 6
News & Record of Greensboro on House Speaker Thom Tillis:
In a game of family hide-and-seek, a child might crawl under a bed and the father might pretend not to see her.
For Thom Tillis, speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives, the game is over.
In less than a week, two of his staff members confessed to romantic relationships with Raleigh lobbyists and resigned. One was his chief of staff, the other a policy analyst.
Tillis said he didn't know about the affairs. It seems more plausible that he didn't see because, like the father playing hide-and-seek with the kids, he didn't really look. Rumors reportedly had been circulating around Raleigh for a while. (Tillis admitted he did hear rumors.)
The speaker told reporters this was "nothing more than a very sad story of bad personal choices." No laws were broken, no undue influence was cast.
"I see zero indication of any impropriety," he said
Given the speaker's poor vision on this matter, the public shouldn't be expected to trust his assessment. There's every reason to worry that lobbyists, who get paid to influence legislators, might try to work through personal relationships with key advisers to a top legislator. The speaker has the power to decide what bills will be heard and which ones won't. He and his staff are obvious targets for influence peddlers.
The fact that Tillis immediately accepted the resignations meant he recognized the problem of letting lobbyists get too close. Personal relationships aren't illegal, but they are unacceptable for public officials who conduct the people's business. Lobbyists are barred from buying a lawmaker's lunch during a legislative session to avoid even the appearance of influence. It looks worse than that when the speaker's chief of staff is having a love affair with a lobbyist. ...
It's easy to find a child hiding under a bed. Why was it so hard for Tillis to see what his staff members were up to? When running a public office, a leader has to look out for trouble before it jumps out at him.
Online:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com